


When in Rome ...

by Inkcentricity



Series: The Raven Clan [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2019-03-24 18:04:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13816563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inkcentricity/pseuds/Inkcentricity
Summary: Meet Marcus Corvus, Roman, vampire and head of The Raven Clan as he tells Severus Snape (and how that came to be is a story in itself) about his life.A childhood in Rome under the Emperors and a life spanning almost two thousand years across Europe and Asia that has led to remote Highland glen during the Second Voldemort war.





	When in Rome ...

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: The World of Harry Potter is the creation and property of J. K. Rowling. This work is for entertainment only, I've never been able to persuade anyone to pay me to write.
> 
> How Severus Snape became a member of the Raven Vampire Clan was meant to be a short AU set during The Order of the Phoenix.
> 
> I planned it as a gentle re-introduction to creative writing before I started a long Marauder-era AU / fix-it that I've been wanting to write for years.
> 
> Before I have finished the first draft of chapter one, it has acquired its own spin-off history for my take on vampires in the Harry Potter universe. I am deeply worried...

The flames danced in the grate. Marcus relaxed back in his chair and sipped his wine, a pleasant full-bodied red, which bore no obvious relation to the syrupy toxic brews of his youth despite their common ancestor in the vine. He reached down and ran his large hand through the dark hair of the younger man who leant comfortably against his knee.

“So, do you want to know about me or the Clan?”

“Both, if it please you, but now? You. How did you come to a remote Highland glen? I know you are no Scot, but I cannot place your accent.”

“Very well. Biography it is.” He glanced down at his companion who settled more deeply against him, his left hand resting gently on Marcus’ right ankle while the right hand cradled his own glass of wine. “Aren’t you going to take notes?”

“I have no need of notes.” There is mild irritation and a hint of sarcasm in the tone. “I have a lot of practice at remembering a narrative.” He pauses. “I can just imagine the Dark Lord’s face, if I stopped him mid-rant and asked if I could ‘take notes’.” The twist of his lips could have been called a smile but the tension in his neck and shoulders was a clear demonstration of regret at the turn the conversation was taking. Not to mention the thought of the pain of what the Dark Lord would have done in response to the interruption.

Marcus’ hand resumed its gentle ministrations, leeching away the anxiety once more while he wrestled down the instinct to rebuke the comparison to the blot on the universe that was Voldemort.

“Besides, I can always review the memory if I need to.” A grudging concession.

“You’re just too comfortable to move.” The tone is gentle and teasing.

“There is that.”

“How well do you know your history?”

“Magical or muggle? Hogwarts’ curriculum is worse than useless, but I have read a little over the years.”

“The history of Western civilization from the Roman Emperors to Punk – I have lived it all in both worlds.”

In the comfortable silence, the fire crackled, hissed then settled once more while the grandfather clock in the corner followed tick with tock in a stately hypnotic cadence.

Marcus took another sip of his wine. Trying to work out where to start. There were members of the Raven clan that had been at his side for centuries, but for his early history he had no point of reference except himself. Britannicus has been the only other surviving Roman he was aware of and he hadn’t been seen since before Victoria came to the throne.

“The Rome of the Emperors was a hard place to live and an easy place to die….”

**Author's Note:**

> My use of the comma is atrocious and I am addicted to ellipses...
> 
> I believe in the passive voice.
> 
> I don't have a beta because I already have creative differences with myself. All mistakes are therefore mine.
> 
> Updates will be sporadic because I never met a deadline I didn't stretch beyond breaking point.
> 
> Constructive comments welcome.


End file.
